South Hadley proposal to regulate tall grass could be cut short

SOUTH HADLEY – Penalizing a resident who fails to mow the lawn when the grass grows above a certain height is just one aspect of the so-called South Hadley “Good Neighbor” bylaw proposal selectmen discussed with several department heads on Tuesday.

There have been complaints to the selectboard and other officials about tall grass, torn screens, peeling paint on private homes and various home-keeping matters, as well as noise and odor issues the board said prompted them to form a committee to explore the feasibility of a bylaw to regulate it.

But after discussing the matter it is unclear whether the political will exists to move forward.

Selectboard Chairman John Hine said it would be very difficult to craft a bylaw that can objectively define what some find objectionable in the home- and lawn-maintenance behavior of their neighbors.

“What are we trying to address here; what are we trying to deal with?” he asked at the March 5 meeting. “Do you try and legislate this stuff or do you try and build community spirit?”

Board member Marilyn Ishler said the complaints she has gotten “were for high grass.”

Discussing the difficulty to define what to do, town planner Richard Harris said, "What may be weeds and tall grass to you may be natural" and environmentally friendly to another.

"I don't think we have a prevalent problem with people not keeping up their property," acting town administrator Jennifer Wolowicz said.

The ad-hoc panel charged with reviewing the matter with the selectboard included the police chief, building commissioner and the directors of public works, planning, and public health.

Sharon Hart, the public health director, said that she received a call last summer from a male resident upset that a neighbor’s grass had not been mowed. According to Hart, she contacted the neighbor who eventually mowed his lawn.

Hart said the person again complained that his neighbor had then failed to rake the grass after mowing it. She said the complainant became belligerent in her office and police had to be called.

When Hine said, “It sounds like there is no real, definitive recommendation,” member Robert Judge immediately said, “No!”

“I haven’t heard anyone say we need to pursue this,” Judge added. “I think we ought to drop the matter.” Other officials said any bylaw should only focus on foreclosed properties owned by banks that become a nuisance.